For the first time in 10 years, Justin, JC, Joey, Lance and Chris hit the stage together — and it happened to be the same awards show stage where they last performed.
*NSYNC reunited at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards on Tuesday night (Sept. 12), presenting the award for Best Pop at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ. The reunion marked the first time that Justin Timberlake, JC Chasez, Joey Fatone, Lance Bass and Chris Kirkpatrick were onstage together since the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards.
“We just wanted to say, thank you MTV and especially all of you guys,” Joey Fatone said as fans shrieked at the group. “Thank you so much, each and every one of you, for always supporting your favorite music artists!”
*NSYNC presented Best Pop to Taylor Swift, whom Timberlake called “unstoppable” onstage, for the music video for “Anti-Hero.” Swift took the VMAs after being shown visibly stunned by the onstage reunion, and gave all five members of *NSYNC a big hug — and received a trademark friendship bracelet from Bass.
“I had your dolls!” she exclaimed after receiving the award. “You’re pop personified, so to receive this from your golden pop hands is really too much!”
In August 2013, Timberlake received the Video Vanguard Award at the MTV VMAs, and performed a career-spanning, 12-song medley that included “Bye Bye Bye” and “Girlfriend” alongside his *NSYNC brethren. Since then, the quintet reunited in 2018 to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and in 2019, the group (sans Timberlake) joined Ariana Grande for a surprise appearance during her Coachella headlining set.
*NSYNC — responsible for smashes like “Bye Bye Bye,” “It’s Gonna Be Me,” “Girlfriend” and “I Want You Back” — has not released an album since 2001’s Billboard 200-topping Celebrity. Although the group is rumored to have recorded new music for Trolls Band Together, with Timberlake reprising his starring role in the animated movie, the upcoming film was reportedly not promoted during the telecast due to the ongoing SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes.
